August 30, 2006

The challenge -- designing a "jet set" outfit for yourself -- was rather unfair, since the men got stuck designing men's clothes, and the designers all specialize in women's clothes. And the challenge was also a little boring. The most interesting thing was the ongoing tension from last week's show, where Jeffrey had to design for Angela's mother, who was whiny and had a bad figure (and may have been trying to make Jeffrey lose). Jeffrey took to taunting Angela, trying to rattle her. In the end, Angela lost -- deservedly -- and said that she'd learned that you have to know who you are and not let anyone rattle you. I don't know if Jeffrey succeeded in rattling her, but the plane ride to Paris succeeded in wrinkling the knickers she'd sewn for herself, and making clothes that travel well was part of the challenge.

Maybe I'm the only one, but I find myself rooting for that little asshole Jeffrey. He made an outfit he kept telling us was rock and roll, and it did look pretty cool, even after the long plane ride.

Laura, we've learned, is pregnant, and she was wearing 4 inch heels on the runway. The designers were told they had one hour to pack and get to the airport, and they needed to fly in the outfits they had on. Later, we see her in Paris, still in those 4 inch heels. I really did not enjoy seeing them stress out and physically challenge a pregnant woman like that.

Vincent, who started off the season seeming too crazy to be on the show, ended up making the sanest thing. Acually, I thought he'd lose because it was so plain. But it went through the travel part of the challenge quite well.

Kayne... they must love Kayne... because his outfit was really tacky. They kept saying it was going to be too Liberace, but then in the end, they just said it was Elvis. So that was an accomplishment, right?

BTW... Michael was wearing a jersey with "Alderson Broaddus" on it. That's my wife's alma mater. A very, very small college in West Virginia. I wonder if there is a connection, or if that was just an ironic piece he picked up in a thrift shop.

I actually thout that Jeffrey's was pretty costume-like. Admittedly, he did a really good job, but I felt like he just followed a template, and really wasn't too creative in the end. Laura's was the most original, and it looked fantastic, even after the plane ride.

I think Michael is awesome. He's got some mad cutting and sewing skills to be able to make a hiphop baggy outfit fit him like a glove. The proportion of his outfit was perfect. And he always looks and acts so serene and gracious, staying above the petty fray at this point in the competition.

Jeffrey is a turd like his outfit. He would be the biggest piece of Eurotrash if only he hadn't been born in Podunk, USA. As it is, he's a wanna-be poseur. His manner and the way he effused about Paris reminds me of Madonna and her affectations of the British gentry (the country estate, the riding habit, the fake accent). They both display a sense of shame and disdain for their own heritage.

And why did the judges pile on Uli? I thought her dress would be the most comfortable to travel in and it looked like it traveled well. The Calvin Klein guy needs to realize not everyone worships the minimalist aesthetic of his employer.

Jeffrey's outfit looked like something every rock star has been wearing for the past 25 years or so. A skull-embellished t-shirt is hip and new? Skulls are practically retro they've been around so long. Someone mentioned over at BloggingProjectRunway that you can by sparkly skull t's at Hot Topic. The one big thing this outfit showed is just how full of **it Jeffrey was last week when he said he didn't have time to make a jacket. He made a jacket, pants, and a shirt this week in the same amount of time he made that Hindenburg dress. Clearly, he just didn't want to do anything at all for Angela's mom. He should've been auf'd last week.

Ann, I have to disagree on Michael's outfit. It was gorgeous on him. I did feel great sympathy for Vincent, having never made men's wear before, but he managed to pull of something that looked neat and traveled well. I think this week's criticism of Uli was grossly unfair: they were designing for themselves, of course she was going to choose something that she loves! What, she's supposed to move away from her signature when she's designing specifically for herself? Give me a break.

I worry so whether a hotel will have Internet that I do not even think to ask about Bravo. To my shock, the Marriot Courtyard here, in New Haven, did not have Bravo. Thanks for the post! (Do you think it is fair to demand a small refund when the Internet then does not work?)

Jeffrey may be the most hateful person they have ever had on _PR_. If someone asked me to design the stereotypical second-rate rock star costume--that's exactly what I would have come up with.

Angela's mom might have been a bit whiny, but Jeffrey was a complete asshat to her. I don't think she was trying to make him lose--he was just ugly to her because he hates her daughter and seems to hate overweight people in general. If someone treated my mom the way he did, they have a big black boot shoved where you don't want boots stored.

Of course, last week's challenge was unfair in that everyone should have had to deal with a plus-sized woman. Notice that the winning dress was on a skinny woman.

As the Chief Justice has apparently decided against the gold stripes on his robe, perhaps the next challenge should be designing an entire outfit for the Chief Justice to wear on the bench. I would really like to see what Jeffrey would do with that!

I think this week's criticism of Uli was grossly unfair: they were designing for themselves, of course she was going to choose something that she loves! What, she's supposed to move away from her signature when she's designing specifically for herself? Give me a break.

I still harbor a suspicion that older women get screwed on that show...

Laura hasn't even won a challenge yet! I still think that her coat with the fur trim from the first challenge was years ahead of Keith's stupid dress made of bedsheets (how creative is that???)

And Uli has done several great designs that don't even make it into the top three.

The flip side of the coin is that the arrogant "bad-boys" -- Santino, Keith, and now Dipshit -- always seem to get a break. Really annoying.

Ann, sorry about that, I don't know what I was thinking. I had just come from BloggingProjectRunway, a site I probably never should have visited because it can easily become addictive, where there were a few anti-Michael comments. I think they were still echoing in my mind and I felt they deserved some response. It would have been better to respond to the right speaker, though! Sheesh. Clearly, my brain is not working very well this morning.

Nina: I'd demand a complete refund. You choose the hotel because they make a promise, and you'd have gone somewhere else if they didn't. When I am in that situation, I insist that they make it right. At a Holiday Inn Express in Rapid City, I pressured them into giving me another room (which initially they said they didn't have). And at a hotel in Ithaca a couple years ago, I made them cancel my reservation and get me a reservation at another hotel. To me, it's the same as if the room lacked a bed.

C.: I agree Jeffrey's an asshat. I'm just saying I find myself rooting for him. I don't know why!

Knoxgirl: I agree that there is a prejudice, not just against older women, but women. Why was Angela worse than Kayne this week? Why Amanda instead of Vincent two weeks ago? And the season always seems to begin with a cull of the the least interesting four women, while dubious men are given a break.

I am reminded of Season 1, when in the "dress the rock star" challenge, Kara Saun lamented that a lot of female stars would only hire male stylists/designers. There must be some similar dynamic at work here, where the efforts of the men on the show is somehow perceived as more legitimate or worthy.